Pastor Ben’s Ponderings

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”             (Romans 12:2)

Not only is this verse a powerful verse, but I really thinks it speaks to something that more and more Christians seem to be struggling with these days. Understanding the culture that surrounds us is important to personal evangelism, but conforming to that culture can have negative spiritual consequences.

The apostle Paul was able to relate to the different cultures he ministered in: he was a Jew, a Greek, and a Roman citizen. Though he could relate, the focus of his ministry remained clear: Jesus Christ. Our challenge in today’s ever-changing culture is to understand it without accepting or conforming to the things about it that are contrary to who we are in Christ. We should live confidently, knowing we have, living inside us as believers, the answer to this world’s problems. He is the constant in an inconsistent culture. He is the Truth in a society full of deception and lies. We are called to shine the Light into a darkening world!

Romans 12:2 instructs us to constantly renew our minds so that we may become more and more like Christ. We can do that by studying His Word, praying, and applying the truth of the Word to our daily lives. When we do that, we won’t conform to the world’s ever-changing idea of what is right, but rather the world will see Christ in us. When that happens, Christ in us will draw people to Himself, and slowly but surely, the world around us can be conformed to His image. That is “the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”